Jose Mourinho concerned over ‘dangerous’ transfer market

Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho has voiced his concern about the way clubs are “spending £30million, £40million, £50million in such an easy way.”

The 54-year-old has splashed the cash since replacing Louis van Gaal at Old Trafford in May 2016, highlighted by the £89million and £75million captures of Paul Pogba and Romelu Lukaku respectively.

But what Mourinho does not like is the excessive transfer fees that are currently being paid for players that do not fall into the world-class category

“I always thought the problem is not what you pay for these kind of (top) players, I don’t think the problem is what you pay for Pogba, I don’t think the problem is going to pay crazy for Neymar,” the Portuguese told several national newspapers.

“I think the problem is with the other group which is a big group because players like Pogba, there is one or two (big) transfers (like that) per transfer window. The other ones are where you have 100 transfers and for me that is the dangerous area of the market.

“Some clubs are paying or they don’t buy because they don’t accept the numbers that are now ruling the market, or to do it they have to go the same levels and for me that’s what worries me a little bit because now we speak about £30million, £40million, £50million in such an easy way.”

While the likes of United, Manchester City, Everton and Chelsea have all spent big money this summer, Tottenham have yet to dip into the market.

They lost Kyle Walker to City in a £50million deal but have so far managed to keep their other best players at the club, even thwarting Mourinho’s reported pursuit of England international Eric Dier.

“Everybody speaks about the dimension of the investment at Man City, but there is another team that I feel the dimension of their investment is also phenomenal – Tottenham,” Mourinho said.

“I think until now they spent zero pounds, right? For me the dimension of their investment is amazing. They keep everybody they want to keep. They keep Dele Alli, Harry Kane and Toby Alderweireld, they keep Eric Dier, they keep everyone they want to keep.”

Mourinho is still on the hunt for two new signings and is confident executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward has the situation under control.

Only Lukaku and Victor Lindelof have arrived in a window that has seen United make slow progress on further targets.

Woodward joined up with United’s American pre-season tour having stayed back to work on deals that the United manager is confident the executive vice-chairman has a grip on.

“I don’t know,” he said when asked if any progress had been made on transfers.

“Honestly, I don’t know. Ed is in control. He did Lindelof and Lukaku, he knows that I would like two more players, but he also knows that I have balance.

“I understand the situation, I understand the market and if my club is not able to do two players and do just one, I will accept that as a consequence of the market now.

“Our relation is good and I just wait for good news – and he knows that for me good news is to have the players, or in this case maybe just the player as soon as possible because to work together with the team is really, really important.

“But I’m calm. I like my players, I like my squad, I trust them, so I’m calm and that’s important.”